On August 18, the pink city of Jaipur crowned a new beauty queen as Manika Vishwakarma from Rajasthan won the title of Miss Universe India 2025. She received the crown from last year’s winner, Rhea Singha, and is now set to represent India at the iconic 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand this November.
The evening also saw Tanya Sharma from Uttar Pradesh named first runner-up, while Mehak Dhingra and Amishi Kaushik finished as second and third runner-ups.
Manika’s winning moment:
Reflecting on her journey, Manika shared, "My journey started from my hometown, Ganganagar. I came to Delhi and prepared for the competition. We need to inculcate confidence and courage in ourselves. Everyone played a big role in this. I thank all those who helped me and made me what I am today. Competition is not just a field, it is a world of its own which builds the character of a person."
Who is Manika Vishwakarma?
Manika hails from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, and currently resides in Delhi, where she is completing her final year in Political Science and Economics. The 23-year-old began her pageant journey earlier when she clinched the Miss Universe Rajasthan title in 2024.
Beyond her pageant achievements, Manika is the founder of Neuronova, an initiative dedicated to changing perceptions of neurodivergence in society. She advocates for recognizing conditions such as ADHD as unique cognitive strengths, rather than merely as disorders.
Manika’s experience is both diverse and impressive. She has represented India at the BIMSTEC Sewocon under the Ministry of External Affairs, is recognized as a public speaker, and has been honored by esteemed institutions such as the Lalit Kala Academy and the JJ School of Arts. In addition, as a proud NCC graduate, she is trained in classical dance and has a talent for painting.
